Alberta to hold referendum on ‘out-of-control’ immigration amid strain on social services, budget: Smith

The Alberta government intends to hold a referendum on immigrants’ status, their access to social services and federal influence over provincial laws and services in October this year.

In a televised address on Thursday night, Premier Danielle Smith outlined upcoming budget deficits amid crashing oil prices and what she says is “out-of-control” immigration.

Smith cited previous “disastrous” federal open border immigration policies for creating an “unprecedented strain” on health-care, education and other social programs, noting Alberta’s growth by almost 600,000 people in the last five years.

“Although sustainable immigration has always been an important part of our provincial growth model, throwing the doors wide open to anyone and everyone across the globe has flooded our classrooms, emergency rooms and social support systems with far too many people, far too quickly,” she said.

Smith did outline a three-pronged strategy which would look to cut “unnecessary bureaucracy” and limit spending increases in the long, medium and short term.

She championed the continuing work on the Alberta-Ottawa agreement for a potential pipeline that would get oil to Asian markets.